Lighthouse Letters by Sharma Krauskopf

By Sharma Krauskopf

Highland Cow

Just recently one of my publishers requested I do a children's book about a Highland cow. This decesion was based on the popularity of my best selling children's book Moonbeam Cow about Scotland's belted galloway cow.

The beginning steps in writing a children's book is to research the subject so you can base your story on the facts as much as possible. Some of the things I found out were:

There is record of this breed as far back as the twelfth century.
The Highland Cattle Herd Book, first published in 1885, was the world's first breed book.
Mature Highland cows average 900-1200 pounds.
Herds of Highland cows are called folds.
The breed is exceptionally hardy with a natural and unique ability to convert poor grazing efficiently.
As browsers and brush clearers, Highlands are unsurpassed, eating what other cattle pass up.
Many Highland cows continue to breed to ages in excess of eighteen years having borne fifteen calves.
Highlands make great mothers
They are noted for their quiet dispositions, superior intelligence and do not stress easily
The Highland female horns should come straight from their head and then turn forward and up. Bulls horns should not turn up but should grow straight out from their head and then turn forward
The Highlander is famous for its homing instinct

Highland Bull

Female and calf

I think my story has to be developed somehow around the horns since they are truly interesting. Now the fun part begins - the development of the tale!

Happy Reading,

Sharma

I love to hear from you so contact me by Email at sharma@sharmakrauskopf.com

You can find more articles in the archive under Island Miniatures/Lighthouse Letters.

I have three books which are directly related to this column. The Last Lighthouse tells how we bought our lighthouse, the day by day journal of a year at Eshaness entitled A Year in the Lighthouse and in Scottish Lighthouses our lighthouse is featured in the 31 lighthouses presented. You can find out more about these books and others I have written at my official author web site.

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